Last One Standing
by DarkDaughter1318
Summary: My names April. I'm seventeen years old, and my name is in the drawing for the 74th Hunger Games four times. The odds were definitely in my favor... or so I thought. I'm now being shipped to the Capitol, but I don't know if I'll be the last one standing.


My knees were shaking, and I swore I was going to pass out. It happened every year, even though my name was only in there three or four times. The odds were in my favor, they normally were. I was definitely thankful for that much. I stepped forward, and allowed the peacekeeper to prick my finger and stick it to the paper. After that I found my way to the crowd of girls, and waited for the reaping to start. The tension was in the air, and it was thick. After our past years in the games, every one hated this time of year. We hadn't had a victor from District 6 in what seemed like an eternity. The last person that had come close was Titus, but then he went insane… and well, no one wanted an insane man on the Victory Tour, and so the Capitol went ahead and took care of him. Can't say I blamed them though. No one wanted a cannibal hanging around their district. The door to the justice building opened, and out stepped Steel Young. He was in his early twenties, but he probably had been for about five years now. The way the Capitol people never seemed to change was sickly. It bothered me to no end, but I never voiced that. He tapped the mic once to make sure it was on, and gave us all a bright smile.

"Hello everyone and welcome to the 74th Hunger Games." He didn't bother clapping, or initiating that we should clap. He knew no one would anyway. You learn these things after awhile. He'd been doing the reaping of District 6 ever since I'd become of age to be entered. "And may the odds be ever in your favor." Silence spread among the crowd. A baby whimpered and cried in the back. My heart went out to that child. A child that would soon be standing in the same place I was, hoping and praying his or her name wasn't called. "We have a quick video for you sent from the Capitol. I'm sure you guys will find it quite entertaining." He said. I sincerely doubted it. An explosion went off on the screen, and suddenly we were staring at war footage from the rebellion. A reminder of why we were standing here today, waiting to find out what two kids from District 6 were going to die. They went on about how they were in control, and how the games reminded us of our past and what not. I looked up at Steel to see his eyes on the ground. I knew that he didn't necessarily enjoy his job. If anything, I'd say he hated it. When the video went off, he nodded. "You'll have to thank President Snow for that reminder when you get to the Capitol. Alright, so let's get this show on the road, shall we? Ladies first, of course." He said. He walked over to the humongous fish bowl, and reached inside. He moved his hand around, and pulled a slip of paper. I stared down at my feet, fingers crossed that he wasn't going to call my name. I was praying to whoever was up there watching, that it wasn't me. I think everyone was. "And the female tribute is….. April Sanson." _No. _My heart suddenly fell to the ground. He had to be joking. I was hearing things right? My name was in there four times. How could he have possibly pulled my name? I heard my mother's blood curdling scream from the back, and I started to run for her when, the peacekeepers grabbed my arms. They started dragging me towards the stage as the other peacekeepers dragged my mother away from the reaping.

"Mom…" I screamed. My brother stared at me from the back. He was 27 years old, and had long passed his days in the games. He'd never been chosen, and that was a blessing in itself, but here I was, the female tribute for District 6. The peacekeepers motioned for me to walk up the stairs and onstage. I knew at this point, I had no choice. I walked up the stairs and over to Steel, whose face was completely apologetic, as if he was sorry he'd drawn my name.

"Give it up for April, the female tribute in our 74th Hunger Games." Steel clapped, but my eyes found my brother. He stepped out from the crowd, in the large open area before the stage. He pressed three fingers to his lips and held them in the air. Tears were streaming down his face as the rest of the crowd followed his example. The peacekeepers grabbed him, and pushed him back into the crowd. That was basically giving the Capitol the middle finger, and he knew it. Of course, my brother had never been one to follow the rules. At this point, my whole body was numb. I stood there, staring out into the faces of people I knew, people I loved. These people, they'd all watched me grow up, and now they were going to watch my slaughter just the same. "And now, for the gentlemen." He walked over to the second bowl and reached in. Every person there stopped breathing as he opened the little slip of paper. You could have heard a pin drop on the other side of the district. "And our male tribute….Aiden Perri." My heart stopped once again. Aiden was one of the sweetest people you would ever meet. He'd never harm a soul, and now… he was about to be joining me up on this stage, getting ready to be taken to the slaughter house.

"_No…" _I murmured. I'd grown up with Aiden. We'd never been close, but he'd always been around. I wouldn't want this for him. I wouldn't want this for anyone. The kids around him moved away from him, almost as if he had the plague. He slowly made his way to the center aisle and started towards the stage. His eyes were on his feet, as if he were afraid that he'd trip and fall. He walked up the stairs and to Steel as well.

"Give it up for our male tribute in our 74th Hunger Games." He repeated, holding Aiden's hand in the air. Once again, there was silence except for Steel's obnoxious clapping. When he released him, he turned to us. "Well, shake hands." Aiden looked up at me with this look of pure terror in his eyes. He was about seven months older than me, but he looked so young, and so scared. I extended a hand, and he shook it. I gave it a gentle squeeze to comfort him. Steel that motioned for us to walk into the Justice Building. I finally willed my legs to move enough that I made it inside the door. They took both of us to an empty room, where our family and friends would be able to say a quick good-bye before they shipped us out to the Capitol. My mother was the first to come in. She was weeping so hard, I was afraid she was going to quit breathing.

"April, you have to win. Do you hear me? I can't lose you. I just can't. You're strong. You're smart. I know you can do this."

"There's twenty four of us, mom. There's no way I can-." She cut me off by grabbing my face in her hands.

"No… You are going to go into that arena, and you're going to win, do you understand me? You are not going to let them take you away from me." She sobbed. I wiped the tears from her face, and nodded.

"Okay. I'll try, mom. I'll try." I promised her. I knew it was all I could do. I knew there were going to be kids stronger, and faster than me. Kids who were from Districts one through three that have been training for this. I had slim chances. I knew that. The peacekeepers opened the door and rushed in.

"Times up." They grumbled, pulling my mother out of the room. It was quite possibly the last time I'd ever see her. Actually, I knew it was the last time I'd ever see her.

"I love you baby. Come home to me." She begged.

"I love you too, mom. I will." I said, right before they slammed the door. I took a deep breath, trying to keep myself composed for the next person that walked through that door. It opened a few seconds later, and in walked my brother. I ran to him.

"Are you out of your mind? What you did out there? You could have been shot, Terry. Do you know what I would have done if-." He cut me off with a sad smile.

"I'd rather have died out there, letting the Capitol know what I think of their games, then watching you slaughtered on TV, April."

"So, you think I have no chance?" I asked, knowing he'd tell me the truth.

"I think if you get in there, and you train hard, and you give it all you've got, like I know you will, you could be the victor, April. I want that more than anything. But there are 24 of you in there. The odds are never in District 6's favor. You know that." He told me. I loved how honest he was with me. I could also tell how much he believed in me.

"I'm going to try to come home to you guys." I whispered. He pulled me into his arms, and squeezed me.

"Please… be safe. Be smart. And win." He said.

"I'm going to try. For you, and for mom. I'm going to try." I assured him. "It's all I can promise you." He nodded.

"I love you, April."

"I love you too, Bubby." I whispered, before they busted in the door and told him to get out. I watched as his disappeared. Atleast the last moments I'd shared with him weren't full of uncontrollable sobbing. Now, was my time to break down. My two visitors were gone, and I could lose my mind here alone. Except for when I thought it was safe, Steel came in to let me know we were leaving. I hadn't expected it'd be this soon, but regardless, I stood up and followed, like I knew I had to. I walked along side of him as we got into the car, and headed for the train station. I knew that this was the last time I'd ever see District 6, and I'd fully accepted that as we pulled out.


End file.
